SpaceX is gearing up for the eighth flight test of Starship, with a launch planned for Friday, February 28, pending regulatory approval. The test will focus on new objectives, including Starship’s first payload deployment and experiments designed to improve the vehicle’s ability to return to its launch site.
On Sunday evening, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on X, “Starship Flight 8 flies Friday.”
A live webcast will begin about 40 minutes before liftoff on SpaceX’s website and X (@SpaceX), as well as on the X TV app. The launch window opens at 5:30 p.m. CT, but as with all test flights, the schedule is subject to change.
This test follows upgrades made after Starship’s previous flight, where issues led to a loss of the vehicle. Improvements include:
The test will also include a satellite deployment simulation, with Starship releasing four Starlink simulators to mimic future missions (this is the “Pez dispenser” we want to see in action, finally). A Raptor engine relight in space is also planned to test engine performance beyond Earth.
SpaceX will again attempt to launch, return, and catch the Super Heavy booster using the launch tower’s “chopsticks.” The booster will slow from supersonic speeds, creating a sonic boom near the landing zone. However, if conditions are not ideal, the booster will default to a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
This mission will push the upper stage’s heat shield to its limits, testing new thermal protection materials and aerodynamic changes aimed at improving future reentry success. Sensors on the launch tower’s chopsticks will also collect data to refine booster recovery operations.
Excitement guaranteed, yet again for this launch. Stay tuned, folks!
